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Tonight's Dinner Menu

 

Motivated by both Gordan Ramsey and a Jamie Oliver Italian Cook Book, Cindy are  are planning the following menu for dinner tonight!

Insalate: Caprese

Pasta: Fazzoletti Di Sete Al Pesto

Dolci: Fragole con Lemone E Menta

YUM! 

Napa Day 2 Images

Our second day in Napa was a blast!  We filled it with 4 vineyard tours: Nickel & Nickel, Caymus, Cakebread, and Shifflett.  Although it began with a small hiccup (our driver did not show in the am which caused us to be 15 minutes late for our Nickel and Nickel tour), it ended nicely with us procuring:

• 10 of the last 23 bottles for sale of the Nickel and Nickel's 2004 Copper Streak
• 2 bottles of Nickel and Nickel Dolce
• 2 bottles of Cakebread Chardonnay Reserve
• 6 bottles of Shifflett (the blend and year escape me right now)

By far our favorite tour was Nickel and Nickel and Shifflett.  Cindy and I ended up joining the Nickel and Nickel wine club.  Jeffrey Shifflett, the owner of Shifflet Estate, made our last tour special by providing a very intimate glimpse into his overall vineyard and  business as a wine maker.

Although its sad to be leaving this amazing part of the country, there is no doubt I will be a loyal visitor for years to come.   Indeed,  it  will no doubt make the Napa wines I drink from this point forward a wonderful reminder of this amazing weekend.  Thank you Cindy!!!!!

Below are some photos I took throughout the day:

 

Napa Day 1 Images

Cindy and I arrived in Napa Valley yesterday by noon.  We had a wonderful lunch at Rutherford Grill and then set off to visit the Opus One and St. Supery vineyards.  Afterwards we checked into our our AMAZING suite at  Auberge du Soleil.  Enjoy the photos below.

Rutherford Napa Valley, CA.

Opus One

St. Supery

Auberge du Soleil

Buddakan

 

One of my favorite things about visiting New York City is its amazing selection of fine dining options.  Last night I was introduced to Buddakan for the first time.   Opened in March 2006,  the restaurant is best described by Frank Bruni's New York Time's May 3rd, 2006 review boasting it a "post-millennial urban mess hall as supersize cocktail lounge with superstylized dishes".  The cuisine is Chinese with some really unique twists.  The atmosphere, as you can tell by the above photo, is hip and trendy.  What I found most amazing was that the bill for three only came to around $250!!!!!! Quite a bargain when compared to other similar options.  For anyone visiting New York City looking for a unique dining experience...look no further.    

Oishii Boston

I had the opportunity to enjoy Oishii Boston last night for my first time.  This was a fabulous dining experience.   The low lit ambiance, the sophisticated atmosphere, and the AMAZING sushi places Oishii as one of Boston's better fine dining establishments.  I could not help but to feel I was in a very trendy lounge in Tokyo.

The venue is located in Boston's emerging SOWA district and is somewhat hard to locate as there is no sign outside of its modern facade.  In order to assist future patrons, I have provided all necessary contact information below:

Oishii Boston
1166 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118

Phone:  (617) 482-8868

Web Site: http://oishiiboston.com/

E-Mail: [email protected]

OpenTable Reservation URL: http://www.opentable.com/rest_profile.aspx?rid=7315

Blue Hour Portland

Blue Hour Portland currently sits in the my top ten restaurants in the world list. Last night my brother Ian and I has the opportunity to enjoy this dining experience for the first time at the recommendation of our Board member Ralph Shaw, who claimed this to be the best dining in Portland. 

This restaurant is the package.  Its Low lit trendy ambiance, impeccable service, exquisite dining (thanks to Co-founder and  Chef Kenny Giambalvo) makes eating here a very memorable experience.  Ian and I actually were honored by several visits from Chef Giambavlo (who initially came to thank us for passing along Ralph's best).

We started with Tuna Tartar and a half dozen Oysters on the Half Shell.  Ian then ordered their Pork Osso Buco and I enjoyed braised Lamb Loin.  For wine, we originally were going to order a bottle of 2003 Joseph Phelps Insignia.  However, the Sommelier steered us to procure a bottle of 1995 Niebaum Coppola Rubicon. Absolutely amazing!  We ended the evening with a desert that was basically apple filled pastries with carmel ice cream.  I really regret not grabbing a menu so that I could have been more explicit with what we ate.

If you ever find yourself in Portland and are searching for a great restaurant, I  strongly recommend Blue Hour.  I have included their contact information below:

250 NW 13th Avenue at Everett Street Portland, Oregon 97209
Phone: 503-226-3394 | Web: http://www.bluehouronline.com/

Chambers/TOWN, NYC

Last night I arrived in New York City to attend AdTech through Wednesday.  For my lodging I decided to select a property where I have never stayed before from TabletHotels.com (My fav website when it comes to finding bad ass hotels).  This happened to be  the Chambers.  Located in MidTown (15 West 56th Street), Chambers has an ubelivable sexy atmosphere the minute you walk through the door thanks mostly to the low lighting, fireplace, and dark oak scandanavian furniture.  Each floor’s landing and corridors are individually designed by a different artist — some are upbeat and sunny, others darker and moodier.

Attached to Chambers is the restaurant TOWN.  I had dinner here last night with a work colleague and it was excellent!  The service, presentation, and most importantly the food were all top notch.

Its noteworthy to point out that my room is $100 cheaper then those that my colleagues are paying for at the Marriott Marquis.  So before you decided to stay in some large chain/ghetto hotel in New York, check out TabletHotels.com first and treat yourself to a more unique experience for (oftentimes) less $.

Rocket Science

  Last night, while dining at Meritage (great restaurant-bad website) with my friend Melissa, I discovered a wonderful new red called Rocket Science.  Caldwell Vineyard's  2002 vintage is a blend  of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Syrah (28%), and Merlot (22%).  The Wine Sommelier seemed ecstatic that someone finally ordered this bottle from Meritage's excellent wine list.  He came over to our table curious to see how we liked it.  In a word, it was Excellent!  He claimed that there are only two restaurants in Boston that carry the wine. 

WineGeeks.com lists the bottle at $42.00.  Meritage was selling it for ~$120.  Their review of the wine follows:

"Like a purple blanket! Plush, rich and extended, the Rocket Science has plenty of red currants, bitter chocolate, cassis and pepper. The tannins are chewy and could use a little time but this wine is drinking very well now."

Another charming aspect of this wine, beyond its name, is a little story they provide on the back label.  It reads as follows:

"It ain't rocket science," he said. "I think it is," she responded. "I'm telling you, it ain't rocket science" he repeated.  She held the glass to her nose and inhaled.  The aroma was an exotic mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot.  She took a small sip, rolling the dark liquid across her palate.  The flavors were ripe, round, and earthy.  "Look, I don't mean to be rude," she said finally.  "But this is definitely rocket science."

I recommend this wine to anyone lucky enough to come across it.  If anyone is selling a case---you have a willing buyer on this end!

Il Paradiso Di Frassina

One of my fondest memories of my trip to Italy was visiting and dining at the vineyard Il Paradiso Di Frassina.  Under the care and ownership of well-known wine maker Carlo Cignozzi and Diana Grandi, this vineyard is unique in many respect.

From the first minute that you walk onto the property you are surrounded by the ambient sound of classical music.  Carlo is the only winemaker in the world that is currently experimenting with using sound-waves to positively effect the growth of his vines and grapes.  To that end, he had situated all weather speakers intermittently throughout the vineyard (facing the rows of vines) and plays the harmonies of Mozart, Vivaldi, Mahler, and others from 9am to 9pm.  He also has invited the University of Florence to conduct a rigorus multi-year study to confirm if indeed sound-waves play a role in developing healthier vines and grapes.  Their research and conclusions are due to be published this year.

Below is a video I shot of the courtyard off of the main villa.  The man setting up the wine tasting table is the owner of the vineyard, Carlo Cignozzi.  Watch the entire segment to experience the classical music described above.

The second unique aspect of Il Paradiso Di Frassina is the wine itself.  Produced only from the best harvests, the vineyard follows an exclusive and very selective philosophy for it production and distribution of wines.  To that end, they only produce a few thousand bottles a annually, starting with the year 2000. 

Three wines are offered by Il Paradiso Di Frassina:

• BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO (Sold out this year)
• GEA
• DO

I was fortunate to enjoy both GEA and DO during my visit.  I  was particularly fond of DO as its a blend.  In fact, its the only blend in the world that uses 12 grapes (6 grapes from Italy & 6 grapes from France).  To follow suit with the vineyards musical theme, the use of 12 grapes coincides with classical music constructed according to the principle, enunciated by Hauer and Schönberg independently in the early 1920s, of 12-note composition.  Furthermore, its named after the first note in the musical scale "Do".  One may buy the wine from two distributors in the United States:

• Classic Wines, Inc. Wesport, CT. 1.203.341.9953
• Small Vineyards. Seattle, WA. 1.206.933.6767

   Finally, Il Paradiso Di Frassina has opened its doors to guests.  The property boasts accommodations in either an apartment for 2 or 4 people.  Alternatively one can chose a "B&B" solution in one of three bedrooms with private baths provided in the main villa.  This affords travelers the ability to experience further what its like to live within an Italian vineyard.  Its also just a beautiful place to experience the magic of Tuscany.

Palazzo del Capitano & al Vecchio Forno

  If anyone is researching places to stay/dine in central Italy, I would highly recommend you take a look at the Palazzo del Capitano & al Vecchio Forno. 

The edifice which dates back to 1400 is one of the oldest in the historic center of San Quirico d'Orcia, a small medieval village in the heart of Tuscany. At the time of its construction the palace was property of the noble Siennese Biringucci family.  The "palazzo del Capitano" is a charming hotel with eleven rooms. The "Trattoria Al Vecchio Forno" is a traditional Tuscan restaurant with 2 dining rooms placed on two floors.  It boasts a Fireplace in Tuscan rustic style for the winter nights and a delightful blooming garden for the summer time.  I am particularly fond of dining in the garden.  Below is a short video segment that I took on my first visit to the restaurant:

The Palazzo del Capitano lies in San Quirico d'Orcia a beautiful medieval town in heart of Tuscany near Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano.   Its roughly 2 hours north of Rome and 2 hours south of Florence.  I have included a map below.